Paleo Diet Breakthrough? Hardly

Going into 2014, the Paleo Diet was one of the top 10 diet and nutrition trends of the year. Bring up the subject with dietitians who are expert in weight management and you’ll get exasperated rolling eyes in response. A quick look below at Google Trends data suggests that interest has not declined, but it may have hit its peak. A new study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition gives you a clue of why this is so.

Paleo Diet Google Trends

Mellberg and colleagues found significantly better outcomes at 6-months in a randomized, controlled trial of the Paleo Diet compared to Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. But the trial continued for 24 months and by that time, most of the differences — with the notable exception of triglycerides (a measure of fat in your blood) — had faded. Fat mass, waist circumference, and abdominal (sagittal) diameter were all superior for the Paleo Diet at 6 months, but not at 24 months. Only triglycerides remained superior at 24 months.

The authors commented that adherence was poor for people assigned to the Paleo Diet group. And thus, it seems that this hot trend might not be so different from what has come before.

People get bored and the trend fades.

Click here to read the study and here to read more about the Paleo Diet from the Obesity Action Coalition.

Stone House in the Mountains of Fafe, Portugal. Photograph © Feliciano Guimarães / flickr

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